


Bonds

by eprime



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Fluff, Gen, M/M, barely hinted AkaKuro, you know kuroko was like for realz...dammit Akashi-kun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-31
Updated: 2015-07-31
Packaged: 2018-04-12 07:44:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4471043
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eprime/pseuds/eprime
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A picture is worth 1000 words.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bonds

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ptw30](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ptw30/gifts).



> 'Cause ptw30 kept bugging me to write her something KnB, even if it's only a 1000 word ficlet. I owe her big time for dragging me into this fandom despite my initial resistance.

"Thank you very much." Kuroko bowed to the obliging teenager who'd taken the picture of the seven of them. Though the young man had seemed somewhat intimidated by the gathering of looming basketball players, he'd shown remarkable restraint by not leaving in disgust while waiting for the majority of the Generation of Idiots to gather into some semblance of a respectable pose, even when Aomine heaved Midorima's iron cow bell into the shrubbery, and Akashi had to step between the two of them to end the confrontation with a few quiet but effective words. 

Not that things had turned peaceful exactly. Aomine hadn't stopped taking verbal pot shots at Kise, but at least he'd kept his hands to himself, mostly. Kuroko wasn't so sure the hand Kise had bumped against his backside was accidental, but he was too happy to care or bother to retaliate with a quick jab to Kise's ribs. Murasakibara slouched in the background, Midorima stood awkwardly, reclaimed cow bell hidden at his side, while Momoi beamed. It recalled the best of the happy times at Teiko, only this time Akashi was here with them as well, a well-worn basketball tucked against his side.

They were all standing on the same court again. 

Out of habit, Kuroko didn't allow the warm glow inside his chest to manifest in the brilliant smile that wanted to break out, but only just barely.

"Well, that took less time than I anticipated." Akashi's mouth quirked up on one side as he glanced at Kuroko, relaxing into a fond, knowing smile as he took in the brightness of Kuroko's eyes. "But I suppose everyone was eager despite any protests."

"And there was the bribery," Kuroko reminded him.

Akashi inclined his head in acknowledgment. "Of course. Always an expedient course."

"And the threats."

"I prefer to think of it as persuasion."

"Akashi-kun will make a terrifying corporate mogul one day."

Akashi smirked. "You flatter me, Kuroko."

"Kurokochhi! Shall we play again?" Kise slung his arm around Kuroko's shoulders. "You'll be on my team this time!"

"I was on Kise-kun's team the last time," Kuroko replied, though not attempting to escape Kise's hold. 

"Then," Akashi interrupted before Kise could commence with the fake waterworks, "Kuroko will join my team."

"I'm not sure I want to be on Akashi-kun's team." Kuroko met Akashi's startled gaze, his own expression as blank as he could make it. The words caught the attention of the others, and even Kise dropped his dramatics and stared.

"May I ask why?" Akashi asked after a moment, only a brief flicker of uncertainty showing before his face turned smooth as glass.

"I don't like the way Akashi-kun plays," Kuroko answered promptly.

"So blunt..." Kise murmured, casting a vaguely sympathetic and pained look at Akashi. Momoi gasped softly, and the others shifted with palpable unease.

The only change Kuroko could see in Akashi was a slight tensing of his shoulders. Midorima cleared his throat and clutched at his cow bell, making it clang loudly. "What do you mean, Kuroko?"

Kuroko didn't break the gaze shared between him and Akashi. "Akashi-kun is a show off."

Akashi's jaw didn't drop, but his lips parted a little. "A...show off?" he repeated slowly.

"Yes," Kuroko affirmed. "Even though we're surrounded by abnormally tall basketball idiots--"

"Oi!" Aomine cried.

"--I always thought Akashi-kun and I bonded, even if the words were never said." Kuroko watched Akashi's brow furrow a little.

"Bonded?" Akashi looked flummoxed for a moment, and then his gaze sharpened a little. "I see. And you feel I've--"

"Betrayed the bond. Yes." Kuroko nodded. "Even though Akashi-kun has always been amazing in almost every way, I felt that in one way we were alike. We shared the pain."

"Ehhh...what does Kuro-chin mean?" Murasakibara drawled. 

"Yeah, what are you getting at, Tetsu?" Aomine sounded confused but curious.

"Just spit it out, Kuroko," Midorima added.

Momoi made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a muffled giggle.

"Yes, please, Kuroko. Explain," Akashi commanded.

Kuroko waited a good few seconds and then--only to be seen by those who knew him well--a light pout shadowed his features. "Akashi-kun dunked in the last game. Akashi-kun said he could do it anytime he wanted."

A beat passed, and then Akashi chuckled.

"Hmph," Midorima grunted, a tiny smile curving his lips.

Aomine snorted and starting laughing, and Kise squeezed Kuroko, grinning from ear to ear. Even Murasakibara leaned down to tousle his hair. "Kuro-chin is funny."

Momoi let loose the giggles she'd been valiantly holding in.

But Kuroko's pout intensified. "Traitor," he insisted.

Akashi's smile edged into a smirk. "I'll teach you, if you like."

"Now Akashi-kun is just being cruel," Kuroko objected, ignoring the fact that he'd totally just been messing with Akashi.

Akashi's eyebrow rose. "If it's Kuroko, then it's definitely possible."

Pleasant warmth bloomed in Kuroko's chest again. "If Akashi-kun can really teach me to do it, then I might forgive him."

"Challenge accepted." This time, Kuroko couldn't hide his smile. At least, until Aomine snorted and stole the ball from Akashi. 

"Are you guys gonna stand around all day grinning at each other like idiots, or can we play ball?"

Kuroko's aura darkened visibly. "Akashi-kun, after your training I'll be able to dunk on Ahomine-kun at least once?"

"Absolutely," Akashi reassured him with supreme confidence, ignoring Aomine's sputtering indignation. "We can stay behind today and work on it."

"I want to stay behind too! But..." Kise added hastily when Akashi's flat look fell on him, "I have a photo shoot in the morning, so I should probably turn in early tonight."

"Whatever," Aomine grumbled. "I'll believe it when I see it. It sure isn't gonna happen today, so let's play."

"That's right," Kuroko agreed, popping up in front of Aomine and batting the ball out of his hands. He spun it on his index finger, his impassive gaze fixed on Aomine. "I'll definitely wait until Kagami-kun is here to see me knock you on your--"

"Tetsu!"


End file.
